


Guardians of the past

by Hanajimasama



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-17
Updated: 2017-10-08
Packaged: 2018-12-31 00:09:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12120303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hanajimasama/pseuds/Hanajimasama
Summary: The Warden returns to help the Inquisitor against the threat of the Breach and to help save Thedas again.SHALE IS BACK. Why? Because Shale is best.Also 'Guardians of the past' is a song from the Dragon Age: Inquisition soundtrack





	1. A walking nightmare

**Author's Note:**

> Okay. So Anima is technologically my warden from Origins but with a little twist here and there. That'll be explained as it goes along :)

1: A walking nightmare

 

Anima had been missing for ten years. Three of those years she spent in Velabanchel prison in Antiva. One foolish mistake and she ended up captured by a Tevinter Mage in the service of the Crows. Cain, who worked with her father Hakan, a guild-master of the Crows. Being an ex-crow herself, they placed her in a cell with extra locks. To keep Anima from picking those locks, they locked her hands inside something that resembled an Iron maiden. The iron maiden contained one large spike that would pierce the centre of the hand. It was nailed to the stone floor. For three years she never saw outside that horrible little cell. They administrated a vast amount of torture. The crows knew when to stop because their orders where to make sure she doesn't die. Her father wasn't going to let her off for her 'betrayal' and he was going to break her slowly.

Velabanchel prison is impenetrable. Located by the freezing sea and swarming with seasoned assassins. During this time Azazel, the small dragon that had accompanied her since the elf's time in the crows had remained hidden in the walls of the prison waiting for the time to move. The time for escape came in the form of a huge explosion that shattered the foundation of the earth itself. The prison sat on a mountain surrounded by the ocean, if the mountain crumbled the prison would sink into the ocean. Anima was not going to miss an opportunity like this. A shrill whistle beckoned the little red dragon to her and Azazel melted the locks of the hand sized caskets and as Anima slowly removed her blooded hands from the spikes. During all the chaos the pair made it to the armoury, where Anima stole black crow armour, a hood cloak and weapons and fled. The destruction was greater than she'd assumed, demons had broken through the veil, how was beyond her but she certainly was going to stay and find out. The sound of the wraiths high pitch screeching echoed across the bay as the pair made they get-a-way via boat.

-

After a long journey Anima found herself back in Ferelden at Soldier's Peak where she had been stationed many years ago. It was booby trapped to the extreme so her stash of treasure was bound to be untouched. It also meant that it would be safe for her to stay for a while. When it came to armour and weapons Anima collected only the fanciest and elaborate, especially where daggers were concerned. 

When the events of Kirkwall occurred Anima knew things were going to change. People once again started to look for the Hero of Ferelden and apparently the Champion of Kirkwall since he had gone missing. This caused adventurers and other parties to start poking around the keep. When they started trying to deactivate the traps, Anima decided to leave. Grabbing the best of her collection and left in the dead of night. 

Things got worse after that, the calling. Anima slept less and less plagued by nightmares and voices whispering in her mind. The calling only happened during a blight but it was too soon for another blight. 

The further west she travelled the louder and more frequent the dreams became. Anima often found herself stood on the edge of battlements staring down into the never-ending darkness claws of emerald green lunged from the shadows to pull her down. 

Weeks seemed to pass. The Antivan soon started having trouble differentiating between reality and her dreams. The vast sandy dunes of the Western Approach welcomed the Warden with more questions. She saw Wardens patrolling around a fortress which she knew as Adamant. The fortress was small compared to Weisshaupt but it stood firm in the sand. It's dark jetstone walls ascended towards the skies decorated with metal ramparts, it made the fortress a force to be reckon with. Sand on one side and a steep one way ticket to the deeproads on the other. The border between humanity and depravity. The Abyssal rift. The odd thing was that accompanying the patrols were demons and even though blood magic often crept into Warden lore, it was never in this volume. 

Creeping around the fortress unseen was easy for the ex-crow. Anima soon found herself staring down at the Abyssal rift.  
Waves of nausea washed over her. Whispers beckoning her forward became louder with every passing second she gazed down into the abyss. Was this another one of her dreams? But she would have had to fallen asleep unless this was a waking dream. Her body was so worn out from the lack of sleep the warden was having trouble differentiating between reality and her dreams.   
The petite elf swayed forward as if an invisible force weighed down on her, the only thing that stopped her descent off the battlements was a wall of stone. A moving wall of stone. There were shouts echoing across the fortress but it all sounded so distant and muffled through the constant annoying voices in her head. The cool night air of the desert slowly brought Anima back to her right state of mind. 

“Finally you awake”

“Shale?”

“oh, good eye” Anima sniggered, she missed the constant sarcasm that Shale possessed. Shale was a golem they had encountered in a little village called Honnleath. After saving the village from darkspawn, Anima met a man named Matthias who had given her the correct magic phrase to awake the golem which had served as a simple stone statue in the village square. 

“Put me down I can walk”

“Not wise. We're being chased by your fellow wardens and darkspawn.” Anima leaned her head backwards and truer words had never been spoken. In the distance she could just make out through the sand dunes a cluster of figures running towards them but Shale's large strides were putting some distance between them.

“I owe you a lot of augmentation crystals for this” 

“Perhaps I should let you throw yourself off walls more often.” Anima laughed at Shale's very dryly spoken joke.   
Shale didn't stop running until they had were safely out of the Western Approach. Both parties were adamant not to go through Val Roeux and opted for camping out and just passing through smaller villagers. The gossip in each village was the same: The Inquisition was taking the world by storm. One second they were rebels and heretics and the next they were being invited to the Empress' Winter Place. Several names she knew popped up.

“Things are starting to get interesting Shale” 

“Its going to get more interesting if these flesh creatures don't stop dancing around me” the golem sneered. The village folk had found Shale most interesting and despite the turmoil of the world had time to celebrate local festivals and had taken to using the golem as a may pole. Anima laughed loudly swallowing more ale. 

“I think that's enough festivities for one day don't you agree Shale?” The warden unravelled the towering golem from the colourful ribbons that bound it “Excuse me, but where would one find the Inquisition strong hold?”

“You planning to join them?” a villager questioned as Anima pulled off the last of the ribbons handing them back to a child who ran off happily trailing the ribbons behind it. 

“It sounds like they have all the help the need but two more won't hurt”

“It's up the Frostback mountain. They had started out at Haven.”

“Haven't been to Haven in a while, we'll detour that way. Lets go Shale.”

“Shame, I was going to start my pigeon squashing dance.” the golem mused staring at the winged creatures that hopped around her.

“Another time Shale.”


	2. Enter the Chargers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haven is a nice little village or was.

The quiet town of Haven had been completely annihilated. Most of the wooden houses had been raised to the ground, if any were still standing it was only the frame. On the long road up through the town they encountered no-one, save for a few crows which Shale took great delight in squashing them under foot. At the top of the hill sat the church which during Anima's last visit had belong to the local crazy cultists who were convinced that the prophet Andraste had been reincarnated as a high dragon. The church was still standing, more or less. The roof had caved in and the large windows were shattered. What was left of the large wooden door crumbled as Shale pushed it clean off its hinges.   
Anima had no love for the Chantry and deserted ones were even worse, the silence was unnerving. The statue of Andraste that stood behind the alter had fallen during the attack and crashed through the alter shattering the holy relics across the floor.   
Anima stood in front of the alter gazing upon the mess strewn across the floor.

"You're not going to pray are you?”

"Thought this would be a good place to camp since there are no birds here." she looked back at the judgemental golem with a smirk on her face “We could camp outside with the birds if you'd prefer?”  
“Point taken.”

There wasn't even time to rest. Someone had either followed them or had been hiding quite well. Anima didn't need to look behind her to determine the position of the enemy, years of training gets you used to being ambushed. Pulling a round flask from her leather belt she threw it casually over her shoulder, it shattered on impact with the floor and released a thick green fog. Anima used the broken alter as a spring board to give herself a height boost. Anima had a feeling this opponent was larger than her which might give her a huge disadvantage in the weight department. Blades drawn in mid-air, Anima came in contact with her foe. A foe which turned out to be a Qunari well armed with a huge battleaxe, which could tear through Anima's fragile squishy body if she wasn't careful. 

"SHALE!" Anima heard the golem's thundering steps rushing towards her. She jumped out the way as the golem barrelled into the Qunari taking him off his feet. Anima changed target to the young man behind the Qunari. He too was armed with a weapon that looked pretty dangerous, a hammer that would be lethal in close quarters. Fortunately Anima was agile and suffered only light scratches from the large hammer. She had to time her next attack carefully or it would end in a broken leg. Dodging another attack she jumped on the head of the hammer forcing it to the ground and leaping forward bringing her knees up and into the face of her enemy. That was all she needed to send the poor boy off balance, allowing her to successfully pin him to the stone floor.

"BULL! We got a problem Red Templars!" Still keeping her blades pressed firmly again the warriors neck Anima turned her attention to the Qunari who was glaring at her something fierce.

"Lets call a cease fire for a second. I too have issues with the red templars"

“I'll kill you first” The Qunari roared raising his axe at the elf. Anima slowly applied pressure to the daggers, creating very small cuts.

"Come any closer and your friend might have a severe accident" Surprisingly the man she had hold of spoke up against the Qunari,

"Bull we don't have time for this!" 

" Fine." Bull huffed and lowered his axe allowing Anima to withdrew her own blades.

“Well know that's all done with. Seems we got off on the wrong foot” Anima helped the warrior to his feet,

"If I'm not mistaken, wasn't that your fault, Warden?" Shale stated stomping over to her towering over the much smaller elf.

"Warden?" the Qunari asked watching her with a careful gaze.

"Lets save introductions for later, hmm?" 

Exiting the church they were confronted with what looked like a golem made out of red lyrium but it put Shale's height to shame. 

“This is going to be good” Bull shouldered his axe and looked ecstatic at his enemy. The behemoth wasn't alone it was accompanied by several footsoldiers, a mage and shadows which were nimble and dangerous if left alone.

“I'll leave that thing to you. Leave those shadows to me” Anime said unsheathing two daggers from under her long worn cape.  
-

Bull and Shale took care of the Behemoth while the others focused on the rest. The battle was easily won with their collective might.

"What a good work out" Bull cheered and flexed his muscles after slaying the last foe. He clapped the much smaller elf on the back making her jump “got to say half-pint you fight like an arch demon” Anima turned to face him wiping blood off her face smiling smugly.

“Might have something to do with the fact I've killed one.” 

“you do enjoy gloating don’t you?” Shale mused scraping the base of her feet of pieces of crushed templar. Anima shrugged.

"Well then some introductions are required now,” she cleared her throat “Anima, Commander of the Grey Wardens, Hero of Ferelden, Dragon Warden the list appears to be growing. This is Shale my companion, Golem and squishier of all the birds"  
"Horrible vermin with wings.” Shale huffed with her toneless voice. 

"The Iron Bull of the Bull chargers" the Qunari introductions flexing once again before letting his group introduce themselves. 

"Cremsisius Aclassi, Krem is easier though. So what are you doing all the way out here?" Krem questioned helping Stitches bandage up the other chargers that had suffered a few injuries during the skirmish. 

"I was heading to the Skyhold but stopped here first, last time I was here I had to clear out some crazy cultist who were convinced Andraste was a dragon. Can't believe its all gone." Anime sat on a tree stump and tended to her own wounds. The night slowly crept in. Anime and the chargers took shelter in the Chantry for the evening. It was suggested that the pair would travel with the chargers back to Skyhold. So for now they shared a camp fire and Anima offered an apology to Krem about almost cutting his head off. 

"I've had worse,” he laughed passing round a bottle of whisky “Oh Commander, I've sent a message off to the hold informing them of your arrival" Anima's face paled as she went to take drink from the bottle.  
"Leliana is going to kill me" the warden sighed, it had been some time since she had last fought beside the bard and with her disappearance for more than a couple of years was going to make their reunion more volatile than anything.


	3. I spy

Anima followed close to the tall crystal covered golem as they approached the headquarters of the Inquisition which was situated at the end of a long stone bridge that hung precariously amidst the snow topped ledges and the very air itself.

“Well this seems safe.” Shale pointed out as the chargers walked briskly onto the bridge. 

“Didn't know golems could get scared” Iron Bull laughed patting the golem on the shoulder.

“I do not get scared, it was merely an observation should this flimsy bridge give way under your huge goat horns.”  
Iron Bull looked so offended and touched at his horns as if to comfort them from the harsh words “they're not goat horns.”

“Could have fooled me,” Shale’s complete lack of emotion and tone made the banter funnier to listen too. 

“Krem!” Iron Bull shouted. Ignored. “Krem! Krem! They don't look like goat horns do they?”  
Bull’s much smaller second in command sighed and assured the leader that his horns were fine. The chargers pushed open the large wooden gates revealing to small tight knit community. There was a little market to the right and a sparring ring to the left. 

“Welcome to Skyhold.” Krem announced proudly. Anima made sure to keep the hood of her cape up and kept hidden behind the wall like form of The Iron Bull. All attention was drawn to the golem the chargers had acquired. Murmurs of wonder and curiosity flooded around Shale until all was silenced by the presence of another Quanri with less wide set horns than the leader of the chargers. Three others followed the qunari: a young looking dark haired woman decked out in fabulous gold Orlesian silks, a pale red haired woman in rough leathers and a blond haired man with what looked like a huge black and red mane draped around his shoulders. The later two Anima knew. 

“Welcome back Bull! Andraste’s flaming knickers is that a golem?” The inquisitor was equally impressed with Shale “I've heard of them but never seen one. Makes us look small.”

“Speak for yourself.” Bull laughed loudly while flexing his huge biceps.

“Shale!” The red, Anima knew as Leliana, an ex-sister of the cloister, rogue, Orlesian bard and now sister nightingale of the Inquisition, she ran towards Shale and jumped throwing her arms around the golem’s neck area giving the stone creature a strange hug “it has been so long. Maker what brings you all the way to Skyhold?”   
Anima tried to blend in between Krem and Bull when Shale pointed in her direction but the rogue’s well trained eye honed in on the Antivan. Bracing herself what was to follow, Anima stepped back and pushed her hood down holding up a hand to wave at the spy. The smile almost instantly vanished from her face. 

“Hey it's been-” Anima quickly brought up a dagger to block Leliana's own blade that was aimed at her neck “a while.” She finished and quickly jumped grabbing Bull’s sturdy horn to swing herself over him landing silently on the snow. Leliana was not going to let her off so easily and appeared behind the elf only to be grabbed at the shoulder and by her thick leather belt thrown over the Antivan into the snow “is that anyway to greet a friend?” Anima dodged a kick and she parried every strike trying to wear the spymaster down. “Are you calm yet?” Lunging she pulled the red’s hood over her face and shoulder barged her towards the woman in gold who dropped her wooden board of papers to steady Leliana by the shoulders.

“Let go Josi.” She ordered sternly walking dangerously towards Anima who kept putting distance between them that was until Shale stuck a leg out tripping the nimble elf up backwards. As she fell in slow motion Leliana pounced with a well aimed fist to her face. She hit Anima once more after that before rising to her feet grabbing the elf’s cape as she moved “where on earth have you been?” Before Anima could reply the spymaster continued “ten years! TEN YEARS! Do you know how worried I've been?” Leliana threw her arms around Anima knocking them both back into the soft snow. Anima sighed and patted Leliana's head 

“Sorry. It's been complicated.” The spymaster helped Anima onto her feet “so you've stopped trying to kill me?”  
“Yes. Though when Cassandra-”  
“Pentaghast? Seeker Pentaghast?” Leliana nodded “oh boy. She's going to have my hide. I dropped her under a large amount of snow and an ice trap.”

The spymaster cringed she had heard from the seeker personally what had occurred when they have tried to find the warden many years ago. “Is she still angry?”  
“Angry? Cassandra? Never she's just extremely bitter.” 

“Oh good.” Anima sighed it seemed as though there was going to be a line of people wanting to punch her. The spymaster laughed and turned to the Qunari who had watched their exchange curiously he hadn't seen his spymaster so angry that she attacked someone on sight. 

“This is Inquisitor Magni Adaar, herald of Andraste”

“Of Andraste? But you're-”

“Qunari but not of the Qun.” Seems he's had to deal with this statement more than once the bored tone of his voice made that apparent. 

“And this is Anima Dethenel, Hero of Ferelden, Commander of the grey, drago-” Anima silenced Leliana with a glove,

“That's enough Leliana” the elf sighed and looked at the amused Qunari “too many titles. Anima is just fine.” 

“Well met. So what brings you to Skyhold?” 

“That big old hole in the sky is one reason and the other is the threat of another blight.” She was met with several stern faces, 

“Let's talk in the war room. Bull I need your report.” Adaar ordered curtly turning to head back up the stone staircase into the main hall of the keep.

“Aw come on boss. Krem you do it.” The giant Qunari whined dropping the laborious and boring report detail onto Krem who looked like he expected it as Iron Bull marched off before anything else could be said towards the tavern along with the rest of the chargers. Krem shrugged at the elf’s questioning glance and followed the others towards the war room.

Anima sat in chair at the far end of the huge table which looked like they'd just hacked a tree down flattened one side and called it a table. Shale stood beside her quiet as a statue chipping in every so often with a sarcastic quip about the silly flesh creatures that were the chargers. The elven warden sat with both legs over the arm of the chair lazily with her rough fur lined cloak wrapped around her and her arms folded across her leather armour, with the sudden application of warmth and the drone of voices and plans she didn't really care for sleep quickly took hold. 

The small red dragon that had been perched on top of Shale’s head like an intricate Orlesian fascinator had noticed the warden had nodded off.   
Azazel glided down to the elf and tried to nudge her awake. So the dragon had to take a different approach and sat on her shoulder blowing a little stream of warm air into her ear making her twitch and turn a little. The dragon repeated his action until the warden rolled majestically off the chair and onto the stone floor of the room with a clatter. Before Azazel could escape Anima leapt onto her feet and seized the lizard by its long scaly tail,  
“Nice of you to join us Commander” Adaar hummed watching the elf slowly collect herself. The dragon clung to warden’s wrist and gnawed at her well worn leather glove in an attempt to be released. 

“We’ll talk later you little shit.” Anima warned the lizard chucking it and her cloak onto the chair she’d been previously sat on. Anima walked to the table and looked at the various figures placed across the map, some adorned with flags to show successful battles and conquests.

“So what do you know?” The Inquisitor asked sternly watching the tanned elf survey the map before her.

“I know that Adamant fortress is a hive of activity at the moment. Wardens. Who don’t-” Anima trailed off when she saw an envelope with a very familiar wax seal on the back, she reached across and whipped it out from the bottom of the pile dropping it on the table “the crows. Really?” She looked up at the spymaster for an answer.

“We haven't replied to them but-” Anima cut Leliana off curtly 

“I'd avoid dealing with the crows. They can't give you anything you don't already have. Leliana’s spies are more than adequate.”

“That's not what I asked you for Warden.” The Inquisitor was met with Anima’s icy cold stare “why should I care about your opinions of the crows.”

“Because I've had dealings with them myself and as long as it suits them you're an ally but when that changes they'll target you the same as everyone else.” Anima sighs there's no changing his mind. But there was time. “I'm going to investigate the congregation of wardens at the keep and see why they have. I'm also going to get in contact with the First Warden at Weisshaupt see if they know anything.” 

“I've been curious Warden. Where have you been?” It seemed the Inquisitor and Anima were going to collide  
“That's not what I came here to talk about is it Inquisitor Adaar. That's all I know on the warden front” Anima grabbed her cape from the chair and swings it round dramatically over her shoulders disturbing the small dragon nestled in it. She headed towards the door and looked over her shoulder “oh. Inquisitor you mentioned about having a warden here. Surely he should know about these things too. You coming Shale?” 

“I wish to converse with Leliana.” Anima shrugs and exits the war room irritated with the Inquisitor though it was understandable in this situation all help is gracious and welcome. Though at the end of the days Crows would always back stab anyone for a shiny gold sovereign. She'd keep a close eye on the Inquisitor's dealings with that group of murderers nothing good ever came from dealing with them.


End file.
